Assembly
There are four parts to the assembly: Soldering, Testing, Hardware, Case.
If you have the rev. C board, with all through hole components: Soldering Rev. C
If you have the rev. E board, with mostly surface mount components already attached: Soldering Rev. E
Power up the board. You should, after a few seconds, see the Pulsar Buddy display!
Test the trigger pins as follows:
- Press and hold the encoder down, and click the RESET button on the OLED board. The configuration display should come up. Let go of the encoder.
- Twist the encoder until the
hwat the end of the 4th row highlights. Click the encoder to enter the hardware test mode. - Using a multimeter, verify that every output pad (T, B, M, S) is less than 100mV. You can use the big ground pad on the middle top edge for reference.
- Twist the encoder one click clockwise, which will turn on the first trigger (T). Verify that it is about 9.8V or so. Verify the corresponding LED is lit.
- Twist the encoder more clicks, and check the other pads as well.
- Twist the encoder one more click, and all the pads should be on. Verify that they are all less than 11V.
- Twist the encoder one more click, and the first trigger will cycle at about 2Hz. If your multimeter can test frequency, it should be within 2%. Its okay if it isn't spot on.
- With the first trigger cycling, use a wire to connect it (T) to trigger input C. The display should show that C is reading the same cycle.
- Do the same with input O.
- Twist the encoder all the way and enjoy the chaser lights.
- Power off the unit.
Note: Images here are of rev. E boards, but the hardware is the same for all boards.
| Qty | Device | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | standoff | 2.5mm x 12mm, FF |
| 4 | standoff | 2.5mm x 8mm, FM |
| 12 | screw | 2.5mm, nylon |
| 1 | banana jack | black |
| 6 | banana jack | red |
| 6 | machine screw & nut | M3 x 16mm, truss head |
| 1 | plate | clear acrylic, laser cut |
| 1 | encoder knob |
The long standoffs support the board from the bottom at the six points around the edge of the PCB. The two on the left edge (with the input pins) are secured with two of the nylon screws from the top of the PCB. The other four are secured with the 8mm male/female spacers, again from the top of the PCB. Stand the board on a flat surface and look to be sure everything hanging down from the board is clear.
The banana jacks mount by removing the nut, solder lug, and spacer ring. The jack is placed through the PCB from the top, and the nut tightened up on the bottom. Hand tighten, using a 3/8" hex socket. The black jack is for the ground connection. I leave the spacer rings on the two inputs in the back just because I like it that way.
The machine screws become the alligator clip pins. Place the screw up from the bottom, and the nut from the top. Hand tighten, using a 5.5mm hex socket. (Rev. C. boards: The screws are smidge small for the holes, so I take some care to make them close to centered... but don't sweat it.) There are no washers because these won't really take much stress, and I like the look of the copper rings showing around the nuts.
Be sure to remove the protective plastic on the OLED display before attaching the plate - you won't have access to it after you put on the plate. Lift the little colored tab on the side (you can see it clearly in the first two pictures above), careful to not bother the flexible connector that sits directly underneath it (just visible in the third picture.)
The acrylic plate rests on top of the four 8mm standoffs. Peel the paper off both sides of the plate, and position it so the encoder goes through the hole. It only fits one way, flip it over if it doesn't seem to line up.
Rev. C boards: Before you screw the plate on, hold it in place, and look at the unit from the side. If the transistors touch the plate and keep the plate from resting on all four standoffs at once... you'll need to bend the transistors to "lay back" at about a 45° angle. There is space in the layout for this to work comfortably.
Screw the plate down to the standoffs with 4 more of the nylon screws.
Lastly, press the encoder knob on.
You're done!
The remaining 6 nylon screws are for the bottom of the bottom standoffs when you mount this in the bamboo enclosure... or your own.
Before you take the paper off the bamboo cases, watch this short video of me assembling the box: Box Assembly Silent Movie
Rev. E boards: One of the two short side pieces is not symmetric. Besure that the big cut out for the power connector is on the left, and the smaller one for the USB connector is on the right, as you look at that side. Get out the PCB so you can check out it fits.
The paper covers the inside surfaces. Refer to the video and the pictures below for the orientation of each piece. The only one to be careful with is the plate with the two orbs etched in it.
I just use ordinary wood glue applied with a brush. You can use lots of water to clean it up - it doesn't take much glue and it will all dry easily. I use rubber bands to "clamp" it... just be sure to take them off after two or three hours, then let the whole thing dry for 12 or more hours before screwing in the electronics (your glue may give other timings).
